3 ways air conditioner is harming your health and how to keep cool without it

Feeling ill and fatigued? Your Air conditioning might be the culprit!

Singapore’s hot, humid weather makes an air conditioner seem like an absolute daily necessity. However, living in an air-conditioned room all the time can be unhealthy.

#1 Getting Sick Easily

Air conditioning creates extreme change in temperature when moving between a cold room and a hot outdoor area. This weakens the immune system, and people who follow this routine frequently might find themselves falling sick more often. The absence of fresh air circulation also passes bacteria and viruses from person to person more easily in a closed, air-conditioned room.

#2 Feeling Fatigued

Air conditioning can also make you feel more lethargic. When the temperature of air conditioning is set very low, the body has to work extra hard and uses more energy to produce heat, causing a feeling of fatigue.

#3 Dryness

For those with skin conditions like eczema, spending a lot of time in air-conditioned environments may make them worse. Skin and eyes tend to lose moisture and dry out in cold, air-conditioned rooms, causing irritation and itchiness.

Instead of using air conditioning, here are a 8 alternatives to keep your home cooler naturally, avoiding the unhealthy effects of air conditioning whilst saving on the electricity bill.

1. Close your Curtains & Blinds

The windows are one of the main source of heat at home as the window panels magnifies the heat rays from the sun, much like how a magnifying glass would. Investing in good quality blackout curtains or blinds and keeping them closed to absorb the heat can help keep your home cooler. If you prefer to leave your view unobstructed, add sheer day curtains to help absorb the heat while lighting up the room.

The Curtain Boutique is a leading Singapore Curtains & Blinds supplier with over 10+ years of combined experience in the industry. Head down to our showroom today to view the wide array of window treatments we have to help you keep your home cool.

2. Shield your Window Glass

To further minimize heat transfer to the room through the windows, apply some tinted window film. Prot3ct solar films from The Curtain Boutique reduce the amount of heat, light and glare entering the room from the glass windows. Window films are also effective in preventing colour fading, caused by UV rays, in furniture, paintings, fabrics and floor coverings.

3. Change your Sheets

Having new sheets can instantly freshen up a room. Skip silks and satins, these fabrics don’t have ventilation and can leave you feeling sticky and uncomfortable in hot weather. Cotton is an ideal choice of fabric for sheets as it’s breathable and won’t trap heat.

4. Add plants

Strategically placed shrubs and vines can easily freshen the air and cool a home. For condos and HDBs, where there’s an outdoor balcony, potted plants hanging from the railings or ceiling can help shade the area and soak up the sunlight, reducing heat in the outdoor space.

5. Switch to Induction cooking

This may be costly, but definitely worth it in the long run. Not only are these safe and easy to clean, the absence of flames makes it a better option during hotter months. Cooking with gas stoves will only generate more heat in the house. With induction cooking, the heat is transferred only to the cooking vessel while the kitchen remains cool.

6. Change your lights

About 90% of energy that incandescent bulbs emit takes the form of heat, so toss them out and replace them with fluorescent bulbs instead for a cooler home and lower electricity bills.

7. Paint your walls white

The color of your home walls can affect the room temperature. Dark, dull colors tend to absorb the heat from sunlight, which is then transferred into the interior. Try painting your walls in white or light colours which help reflect the sun’s heat to keep the home cooler.

8. Long-term home improvements

If you’re keen on keeping your home cool without AC and save on bills in the long run, consider installing Ziptrak® blinds at your balcony. Ziptrak® blinds are able to block out heat and keep cool air in, letting you enjoy outdoor time at the balcony in comfort.

The Curtain Boutique is proud to be a vendor of Ziptrak® blinds.

We hope these quick tips will give you some ideas on how to cool your home without air conditioning. To find out how curtains, blinds and window films can help keep your home cooler and more comfortable, drop by our showroom to consult with one of our friendly sales staff!